WITH the end of the January school holidays, Wollongong City Council is urging motorists to brush-up on their road rules, especially around schools.

Wollongong Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery is reminding drivers travelling around schools to slow down and watch out for pedestrians and bike riders.

“As we head into the school year for 2024, there will be lots of people of all ages moving between school, buses, and drop-off zones,” Cr Bradbery said.

“If you’re driving in these areas, please slow down and drive under the 40km/h speed limit in school zones.

“Council Compliance Officers will be out and about patrolling these areas. They will provide information on the road rules to ensure the safety of children and pedestrians and can issue fines to those caught breaking the rules.

“Please follow the rules and be mindful of one another during school peak times. That also means giving people and children walking or riding to school, adequate space. Wollongong is a Bike City, and we have many community members who prefer to walk or ride a bike to school. It’s everyone’s responsibility to take care and stay safe. We all need to share the space, so look out for each other and do the right thing so that everyone can get to school safely.”

Important school zone parking signs to be aware of:

No Parking

PENALTY EXCEEDS $215 + 2 Demerit Points

Stop here for up to two minutes to drop off and pick up passengers. You must stay within three metres of your vehicle at all times. No parking zones provide a safe place to drop off or pick up children.

No Stopping

PENALTY EXCEEDS $362 + 2 Demerit Points

Do not stop here for any reason. No stopping zones keep sight lines clear for drivers and children. Drivers must not stop at the side of a road marked with a continuous YELLOW LINE. This line means the same as No Stopping.

Bus Zone

PENALTY EXCEEDS $362 + 2 Demerit Points

Can only be used if driving a public bus. A Bus Zone allows buses to drop off and pick up passengers safely.

Children Crossing

PENALTY EXCEEDS $603 + 4 Demerit Points

Orange “children crossing” flags and hand-held stop signs must be obeyed. You may be fined if you’re caught failing to stop, approaching a children’s crossing too quickly or not giving way to pedestrians.

Speeding

Minimum Penalty exceeds $211 + 2 demerit points MAX PENALTY is currently $2778 + 7 Demerit Points. Speeding increases the chance of a crash resulting in severe trauma and fatalities. It’s not worth the risk.

Running a Red Light

PENALTY EXCEEDS $603 + 4 demerit points

You have run a red light if your vehicle crosses the white stop line after the lights turn red.

See here for more road safety information.

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